Reno Outdoors

by Graduate Student Josh Vega:

Living in Reno is like living in 4 different climates all at once. In the course of one day, you can experience snow in the morning, warm weather in the afternoon, and wind in the evening. Reno is a very special place because there are mountains to ski, deserts to see, forests to hike, and country roads to bike. In one tank of gas you can go from busy downtown Reno, to a world class ski resort, and end up at beautiful Lake Tahoe. People enjoy Reno because there truly is something here for everyone. Reno offers quiet neighborhoods, a downtown city life you can walk, and trails that lead to open range just outside the city limits.

Summer:

The summer is an excellent time to be in Reno. The weather reaches the 100's in the hottest part of the summer but there are plenty of ways to cool off. The Truckee River runs from west to east through the middle of Reno and is available to swim, raft or kayak. Lake Tahoe is the ultimate desitination in summer. It is only about 40 minutes away and has awesome beaches to spend the day. Popular beaches on the north shore are: Sand Harbor, Kings Beach, Hidden Beach, and Meeks Bay.

There are so many events happening each month during summer. If you are here in the summer, you should mark you calendars for: Hot August Nights, The Air Races, Street Vibrations, The River Festival, and The Hot Air Balloon Races. These events are especially neat because they are all unique and offer the opportunity to get out in the community to meet people and socialize.

Winter:

Just as Reno gets hot in the summer, it also gets quite cold in the winter. Reno doesn't receive large amounts of snowfall, and if it does it usually melts off by the end of the day. Luckily, the snow stays in the mountains and there plenty of world class ski resorts to enjoy. Some ski resorts that are worth visiting if living in Reno are: Northstar, Squaw Valley, Alpine Meadows, Mt. Rose, Heavenly, and Sugar Bowl. These resorts all offer day passes as well as season passes, and most of them offer student discounts. There are other things to do in Reno in the winter too. There is an ice skating rink downtown, sledding hills nearby, snowshoeing, and plenty of local coffee shops to keep warm in and sip hot chocolate with a good book.

Overall, Reno is a great place to live for any type of person. There are business people, adventurers, and everyone inbetween calling this place home and living in community to make it a great place that is unique. Because there is so much to do in such close proximity, it truly is The Biggest Little City.

About Josh:

"I am a graduate student in the MBA program at the University of Nevada, Reno. When I am not working or studying I can be found enjoying the beautiful outdoors in Reno and Tahoe. I like to get out and ride bikes, run, go to the lake during the summer and ski and snowboard in the winter. The Reno-Tahoe area truly is my home, and I'm lucky to live in such a beautiful place."